Description
Loaded Beef and Potato Bake delivers pure comfort straight from your kitchen, packed with savory ground beef, melted cheese, and crispy potato layers. Hearty, satisfying, and guaranteed to make your family smile during weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Supporting Dairy and Liquid Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
Seasonings and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 small onion
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray thoroughly.
- Brown 1 lb ground beef and 1 small diced onion in a skillet over medium heat. Drain excess fat and season with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden.
- Gradually pour 1 cup milk into the butter mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens, then remove from heat.
- Stir ½ cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon paprika into the sauce until smooth and creamy.
- Arrange half of 4 thinly sliced russet potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Top with half the beef mixture and ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Repeat layering with remaining potatoes, beef, and another ½ cup cheese. Pour sauce evenly across the top.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and continue baking for 20 more minutes until potatoes are tender and top is golden brown.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Your comforting meal is ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Choose waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold for better texture and even cooking throughout the dish.
- For a lighter version, swap ground beef with ground turkey and use low-fat cheese to reduce calories.
- When making the sauce, whisk constantly to prevent lumps and achieve a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Customize the dish by adding extra toppings like crispy bacon bits or chopped green onions before serving for added flavor and crunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 360 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg